I have been waiting for this season to get started and let me tell you something: this isn’t good baseball; this isn’t great baseball; this is some fantastic baseball! For two games in a row, I have seen two grand slams. Unbelievable defensive plays and everyone is swinging the bat when needed. Rendon, Werth and Espinosa are the ones I want to see do well and they haven’t disappointed me. The others are performing in a gear likened to playoff time. And they are just as calm as can be. Almost like they have a secret that we don’t know about (like they are going to the World Series this year). Having some ups and downs with pitching but offense is covering that. I mean, the game tonight is no less exciting then the one yesterday. Matter of fact I only see one dark spot in these first 10 games. That is the instant replay. It is being used and abused for other than intended and it takes the fun out of booing the umps, which has shown that they get the call right about 98% of the time. I hope it goes away because I don’t want my baseball footballized, if you know what I mean. Since it is spring break and nothing is going on, tune into Nats baseball. You’ll be glad you did.

Comments

I went Tuesday night with some guests from Europe. They had never seen a baseball game and were intrigued. It was a lovely evening in all respects (although no home runs, something that they wanted to experience as part of their first baseball experience).

Written by Squiddy about 1 year ago.

Funny, I’m taking some European guests next week – I figure if nothing else, a half-smoke all-the-way with a large beer will convince them that “baseball” is the best game there is …

Definitely. Take them to Bens just to get the full force. Keep them away from the Budweiser/ Miller lite-type swill and show them that our craft beers are appraoching (in some cases meeting) world standards.

A long time ago, I tried to teach some African students how to play baseball. It was going pretty well until the moment when I discovered that the whole outfield had gone home for lunch. Just call me Charlie Brown.

A lot of the problem in explaining baseball is its jargon. Why is a “ball” a “ball”, and “out” an “out” and a “strike” a “strike” just for starters. Imagining having to process that in a second or third language. When I explain the game to foreigners, I try to use words that would have some common translatable platform. If it’s understood that the object is to advance in a circuit around the path defined by the placement of the bases, that each team gets nine chances to hit and can keep hitting until three men fail, it begins to fall into place. But it sure isn’t obvious if you haven’t grown up with it.

Written by ACTivist about 1 year ago.

I have found that any sport, when viewed in person has the advantage of making the person part of the action (except like golf, pool diving, boulder tossing and such). Not many sports I like but when viewed in person, they become much more tolerable…..especially if offerings of beer and dogs are available.

Written by John about 1 year ago.

I too like dog. Hind quarter bar-b-que’d is the best when cat is not available.